For the last several meetings of the Metropolis City Council, Mayor Billy McDaniel has announced plans for an electronic recycling event

At Monday’s meeting, McDaniel announced that event, which was scheduled for July 26, has been canceled by the recycler.

“I’m very disappointed,” he said.

Plans for the event began in the late spring with publicity starting a month ago. The city was notified of the cancellation in late-June, two weeks after the council approved a proposed agreement between the city and the company.

“The company was coming out of Wisconsin and cancelled for whatever reason — they didn’t think it was profitable for that long of a trip,” McDaniel said.

City officials have been working ever since to find a replacement.

“We’ve called around to around seven other recyclers,” he continued. “I don’t know if it’s the recycling market, but there isn’t interest now. So far, we’ve not found anyone willing to come on that date. We’ll continue looking, but it’s not looking good.”

• Approved the first installment request for fiscal year 2015 from the Metropolis Tourism marketing budget for the amount of $59,985.

• Approved, in a 7-1 vote with Alderman Jerry Mizell voting against, the first installment request for the Year 9 grant from the Metropolis Tourism director administrative position for the amount of $20,275.

• Approved repairs by Sentinal to the Metropolis Fire Department’s ladder truck in an amount not to exceed $2000.

• And, after closed session, approved in a 5-3 vote hiring Clint Ferguson as apprentice lineman for the Light Department. Voting for, were Charles Barfield, Bill Carrell, David McManus, Bob Midnight and Jerry Mizell; against were Kim Brown, Richard Corzine and David Daughtery.

The council also had two first readings for ordinances relating to the refinancing the city’s 2005 Tax Increment Financing (TIF) bonds issued to pay for riverfront development associated with Harrah’s Hotel & Casino. The first deals with the bond ordinance. The second approves the tax compliance policy and procedure for the refinancing.

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